Machine for washing and scalding fruits, &amp;c.



- P. s. BAKER & 0. E. "VANGBQ MACHINE FOB WASHING AND SGALDING'FBUI'IS, Ezq.

APrLlonlou FILED 001222, 1907. 898,954. Paiafifd'8ept:15,-l-908.--

numb 1' 1.

Inventors:

Owen ET Kuzaaand Raul 151B r 1h My 1% J 9 S a n H P. s. BAKER & o. E. VANCE. MACHINE FOR WASHING AND SGALDING FRUITS,-&c. I nruommn mien 001322.130). 898,954. v Patented Sept. 15,190 mama-4mm 2. ,1

i S E E Witnesses: lnventors'z r 010222 15'. Vance amt Paul ASiBw/wr V E r flzorne s UNITED s'rArns m m PAUL STANLEY BAKER AND OWEN ELswo arH ornUsoA'rmn'iowA,

,- MACHINE FOR wasnzmq m scA nnre moms, a5. :c

' To all whom it may concern:

.Be it. known that we, PAUL S. BAKER and OWEN E. VANCE, citizens of the United.

States, and both residing at- Muscatine, Muscatine county, and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Machines for Washing and calding Fruits, 800.; and we hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference bein had to the accompan 'ing drawings, which orm part of this speci cation.

Our invention is an improvement in machines for washing and scalding fruits, ve etables and the like, and is particularly designed for preparing tomatoes for-canning.

Our ob'ect is to provide a machinewherein the fru1t may be first soaked in cold water, then removed and subjected to the action of a washing spray of water, and then to the ac tion of steam ets directed thereagainst, so as to scald the fruit and loosen or remove the skin thereof, and finally be discharged into suitable receivers.

The invention will be clearly understood from the following explanation of the ma chine illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which show the present preferred embodiment of the invention, and we refer to the claims following the description for summaries of the parts and combination of parts for which rotection is desired.

In said rawings-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section thereof. sect-ionalview through t e water jet head.

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged detail views of the carrier. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the carrier operating devices.

The machine comprises a tank 1, preferably constructed of metal and of considerable capacity, and adapted to contain cold water. Arranged at an incline in this tank,

and extending diagonally in and out at one end thereof, is a trunk 2 which communicates at its lower end, on its upper side, with a hopper 1 in the tank, and has a discharge spout or mouth 2 at its u per end, which can be provided with a texti e or flexible bag closure 2", permittin escape of material falling thereinto, while keeping the trunk sub-' stanti ally closed.

The opening in the lower end of trunk 2 is 55 set led by tlie water in'tank 1, and the fruit Specification of Letters Patentr Said. carrier consists of Fi 4 is an enlarged V dumped into the hopper is soaked in the water and the dirt thereon loosened before the fruit is elevated in the trunk by the carrier 3, parallel endless chains 3, connected by slat-s 3 said chains running over spreckets 3 on shafts 3 at the opposite ends of trunk, and adjacent the lower side thereof; The lower shaft 3 is preferably journals-d in slides 3 attached to the sides of the trunk, and adjustable by means of bolts 3 as shown in Fig. 1, so that the carrier can he ri lrlppcrly tensioned, to insure ts roper weri' g. a

The s ats 3 of the carrier are preferably arranged on overleppingan les, as shown in Fig. 6, so. that the forward edgeof one slat on the u per run of the carrier, will act as a stop or the on the precedin strap, wlnle watercan freely drain from t 6 fruit between the slats.

One end of the 11 per shaft 3 extends through the side of t e trunk, and carries a loose pinion 3 interposed between a disk 3 fixed on the shaft, and a hand-nut 3 screwed on the outer-end of the shaft. By turning nut 3 the pinion 3 can be frictionally clamped between the nut and disk with any desired pressure, 53 as to move the carrier at any desired speed- Pinion 3 meshes with a small pinion 4 on a shaft 4 journaled in and transversely of trunk, adjacent to shaft 3 and carrying a pulley 4 -which can be belted to any suitable driver, (not shown).

Located in the trunk above the carrier, and beyond tank 1, is spraypi e 5, which is connected by a pipe 5 provide with a valve 5", with an inspirator 5, to which is connected a suction pipe 5. extending into the rank 1 and below the water level therein, so as to supply the inspirator with water. s irator, so as to draw water thereinto from tile tank, by means of a steam pipe 6 having a nozzle 6 enterirg the end of a pipe 6 connected with the upper part of the mspirator 5, pipe 6 conn sting with a steam s ray pipe or nozzle 6 the trunk 2, an beyond the water spray 5. When steam is turned into pipe 6 it flows into pipe 6 and rstented sept. 1c, 1908. Application filed. Octo'ber e2, 1901. Serial mssassa.

a washing water jet or Suction is created inthe in-' l L X. I l i The inspirator c may be provided with del! fleeting plates 5, tending to prevent water being withdrawn into ipe 6 when valve-5 E is opened. Steam is a so admitted into the 5, 6. and 7 maybe provided with valves t";

.steam is admitted into pipe 6",

While steam flows in throng to the hopper, and the machine operated con -forcibly downward into and against a mass bottom of the trunk at a point preferably l slightly beyond the upper steam spr y, y l

.means of a pipe 7 ";ronnecting with a steam t spray pipe 7, as shown.

Both steam pipes 6, 7-, may connect with a common steam supply pipe 8, to which steam is supplied from any suitable producer (not shown.) The steam sprays 6 and 7 may be of any de- =2 sired construction; and one will deliver steam of fruit on the ascending side of the carrier, while the other will dehver steam forc bly upward into th ascending fruit. The pipes 5, 6, 7 to regulate the amount'of steam admitted therethrough.

Operation. The tank 1 being filled with water to the desired level, a lot of the'fruit, such as tomatoes, is dumped into the hopper, and descends through the water in the tank onto the carrier 3. The fruit is prevented from dropping off the carrier by the end late 1 and sides of hopper and trunk. hen (valve 5*? being closed'and valve 5 opened), until we;- ter appears in the inspirator,then valve 5? is opened, and the water flows in a continuous] stream into the trunk throu h spray head spray head 6- Then steam is admitted into spray head 7, and the carrier started. The fruit is carried up in layers 11 on the upper rt'm'of the carrier, and after caving the tank it passes first under the washing spray 5 and is thoroughly cleansed. Then it passes successively under the steam spray 6 and over the steam spray 7 and is thoroughly scalded,-and is finally discharged through the mouth 2 of the trunk. The washing water and condensed steam runs back through the trunk into the tank and re lenishes the water su ply there in. Fresh it may be constantly supplied tinuously as long as any fruit remains to be cleaned and scalded.

Having described our invention what A I I I eases;

claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a tank, a trunk con-' nected therewith, anendless carrier for re moving fruit from the tank through the trunk, a water spray in the trunk beyond the tank, a steam spray in the trunk beyond the Water spray, both said sprays dischargin onto the carrier below the upper end thereo 6.0

an inspirator connected with the water s ray and with the tank to sup ly the spray rom the tank, and means For passing steam through said inspirator to the steam spray.

2. In combination, a tank, a trunk connectedtherewith, a carrier for removing fruit from the tank through the trunk, a water spray in the trunk beyond the tank, a steam spray in the trunk beyond the waterspray,

both said sprays discharging onto the carrier below the upper end thereof, and a second steam spray below the carrier in advance of the first steam spray; with an inspiratol con- .nected with the water'spray and with the tank to supply the spray from the tank, and

means for passing steam through said inspirator to one of the steam sprays, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a tank, a trunk extending therefrom, a hopper at the lower end of the trunk, a discharge outlet at its upper end, a carrier in said trunk, and means for moving said carrier; an inspirator, a water ipe connecting said ins irator with the tan and a water spray in t e trunk connected with said inspirator; a steam spray in the trunk connected with the ins irator-head, said steam spray being above t e carrier' and a second steam spray arranged below the carrier, said steam spra s being beyond the water spray, substantial y as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we afiix our'signatures in presence of witnesses.

PAUL STANLEY BAKER; OWEN nrswon'rn VANCE. 

